The Clifton clarion., 1887-12-28
Strange Habits of n Cow.

Omaha, Neb., says: Amos Brittle skin is one of the oldest residents of the village of Florence, a deacon in the church, and, until yester- day, was the owner of very re- markable COW. Yesterday he brought the animal to town and sold her to the butchers Al trough a beautiful creature, of pure Jersey blood, and only four years old, she had ceased to be of any value, either as breeder or q milk producer. Until about one year ago, according to Mir. Brittle skins statement, she was distin- guished for the superiority of her offspring and the abundance and rich quality of her milk. One hot day, however, in August, 1886, she became overloaded in being driven from the pasture, which was about a mile away, to the farm house. As soon as she cooled off she was taken to the barnyard well to drink. The horses and cattle were watered from a large tub. This WAS full when she began drinking, but it was orly a sholt time until she had emptied it and was eager ly tapping the bottom with her tongue. Brittleskin, Jr., q lad about 12 years old, thoughtlessly pumped the tub half full and again permitted the animal to drink. When she had again reached bottom he became alarmed and led her away. The little crea- ture had swelled out under the enormous pressure of the liquid until she much resembled the jumping frNg Of Calaveras county after it had been filled up with shot. Then young Brittle skin sat down to milk her, but the lIqu;d which he obtained as re- suit of his labors was no longer Of that rich yellow color which had formerly distinguished the COW. IL had suddenly degenerated into the palest of pale blue. But it made up in quantity what it lacked in quality, for before the weary youth finally left the milking stool he had filled no less than four buckets with this liquid, all of which was given to the pigs. The next milking resulted in the sane way, and so with each sue ceeding one until the COW was re- luctantly delivered over to the butchers knife. Although ap- parently retaining her health in every other way, she only drank thereafter once in seven days. When she did she emptied the tub once and, often in hot weather, twice. After stacking her thirst her stomach would be distended to twice its natural size, and would remain this way for period of twelve hours, when it would gradu- ally assume its normal propor- tions. As she had failed as a milker she was given chance to distinguish herself as breeder Strange as 1t may seem, all her offspring, while they were in every other respect fine, healthy calves inherited the camel-hke capacity of their mother for enormous quantities of water, and would sometimes remain whole week at a time without drinking a drop
 When they, in turn, began to give milk. it presented the same ap- pearance of having gone through the hands of several city dairy men. When the mother was killed to-day it was found that her foul stomachs had united into one which had spread itself so that i
 tvarlapped most of her other in
 ternal organs. Why her calve: shonId have inherited thls deform ity is one of the many mysteriou: q Ipstions connected with the sub j.ct of animal reproduction